5 Entry Level Jobs for a Bachelor's in Accounting Graduate

5 Jobs with Bachelor’s in Accounting Degree

Financial Analyst
Hedge Fund Accountant
Budget Analyst
Forensic Accountant
Personal Financial Advisor

Finding a good entry-level job in the accounting field is often a major concern for students pursuing a Bachelor’s in Accounting degree. Accounting-related work is an exciting and challenging field that continues to grow every year. Globalization and the growing economy have increased the demand for accounting professionals. A bachelor’s degree prepares a graduate for not only a career as an accountant or auditor, but for many other accounting-based careers. Graduates will also have a wide variety of industries and businesses from which to choose. Here are 5 entry-level jobs for a bachelor’s degree graduate.

1. Financial Analyst

Financial analysts provide financial advice to individuals and businesses to help them make sound investment decisions. They assess the performance of:

bonds
stocks
money market accounts
other types of investments

To make financial recommendations, they:

evaluate current and past financial data
examine a company’s financial statements to determine worth
assess the management team’s strength
study business and economic trends
prepare written reports
collaborate with management teams

Financial analysts may work as part of a team in a large corporation or may work independently.

2. Hedge Fund Accountant

Hedge fund accountants work as part of a group of accountants. They monitor the growth of hedge funds and determine the value of a company or person’s assets. They add the value of all of the funds and track the sum daily to determine how the fund is doing and if it’s a financially wise investment. They measure a fund’s risk and report their findings to a hedge fund manager. Hedge fund accountants also manage the cash flow that’s been created and keep track of its status. They report this information back to the investor so they can see how the assets are performing. Hedge fund accountants:

prepare financial statements
perform month-end reports
present year-end financial reports with auditors
reconcile funds positions to external sources
analyze fund performance on a monthly and daily basis
analyze the company’s overall financial health

3. Budget Analyst

Budget analysts help private and public companies organize their financials. They monitor how the institution spends their money and prepares budget reports. Other duties include:

reviewing budget proposals
working with project and program managers to develop the company’s budget
monitor the organization’s spending
make recommendations for funding and explain the recommendations
help top management analyze proposed plans and research satisfactory alternatives
estimate future financial needs
keep program managers informed of availability and status of funds.

4. Forensic Accountant

With almost all financial transactions being completed online, the potential has never been higher for:

hacking
identity theft
embezzlement
fraud

All these make choosing a career as a forensic accountant an excellent choice. Forensic accountants produce auditing records for a company to determine fraud or liability. They’re also able to determine if a company has falsified their bookkeeping records. Other duties of a forensic accountant are:

computing estate taxes
providing evidence for court cases
providing insurance companies with calculations

This is one of the most in-demand accounting jobs. It’s an exciting entry-level position for a bachelor’s degree graduate.

5. Personal Financial Advisor

As long as people want someone to help them and their families make good financial decisions and achieve their financial goals, there will be a need for personal financial advisors. Personal financial advisors help people set up financial accounts and retirement plans, such as:

education funds
IRAs
whatever money market accounts line up with the client’s goals

Personal financial advisors study and monitor the financial world and analyze their client’s accounts to determine which account would work best for each client. A personal financial advisor is a popular choice for an entry-level job for a bachelor’s degree graduate.

Conclusion

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that accountants and auditors should experience an employment growth of 10% during the 2016-2026 decade. This growth should result in about 139,300 new accounting-based positions created by 2026. In addition to working as an accountant, there are several excellent finance-related jobs for a bachelor’s in accounting graduate.

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